Stories about Indonesian domestic workers being abused in other countries have gotten a lot of attention, but many also face serious threats of exploitation and violence here in their own country, as this horrific story from Jakarta’s neighboring city of Depok sadly shows.
A woman, identified as 30-year-old IA, was recently arrested on allegations that she repeatedly tortured her domestic helper, 22-year-old Vebi Rahmawati.
According to the police, IA confessed to hitting Vebi in the head with a cooking pan and burned her leg with a hot iron.
“Her motive was that she was upset. The victim did not ask before she ate IA’s and her children’s food. The suspect was also upset that the victim did not properly care for her two children and that she always woke up late,” said Depok Police Spokesman Firdaus, as quoted by Viva yesterday.
The police did not reveal Vebi’s current physical and mental condition.
Meanwhile, IA may face at least 5 years in prison for torture.
In Indonesian households, it’s common for domestic helpers to eat separately from their employers, often being given nothing but leftovers. When eating out, this class separation is perpetuated by the existence of restaurants that provide cheaper ‘maid menus’. It’s also very common to see domestic helpers eating (or not) at a separate table from their employers.
